So how do you obtain a full-time position in PR today? Certainly, the age-old adage: “It’s not what you know, but who you know” still stands. But there’s much more to it than simply networking to land the job of your dreams. A bit more homework goes a long way too.

Getting a foot in the door

The first thing to recognize when seeking your first full-time job is the importance of internships.  Internships can open doors that interviews for full-time positions cannot. Despite the dearth of companies hiring for permanent staff at the moment, most still have internships available and, hopefully, paid ones at that!

My time at Aspectus PR began as an internship and subsequently flourished into a full-time position.

Experience shows that internships not only provide the perfect opportunity to get a feel for the industry in which you want to work, but come with a real possibility of a permanent position. You will then have had both the experience of working in your chosen field and the opportunity to get to know your fellow team members and office culture.

The other great thing about searching for an internship or full-time position is that job sites typically allow you to search for either. If you’re a soon-to-be graduate, start with your school’s career services centre. Most offer CV boot camps and interview workshops and should also have a job site for your use. A few of the best commercial sites to search for jobs or internships however, are Reed, jobsite.co.uk and Monster.

Getting your CV in shape

Once you’ve found a vacancy that’s right for you, it’s time to get your CV in shape.  Relevant and appropriate contact information is a must, as are accurate grammar and spelling: ensure the email address listed is one you check frequently (and sounds professional – not hotpants@hotmail.com for example).

Proof the entire document and then proof it again. Ideally, you should then have someone else you trust to give it a final onceover.

It is also important to tailor your experience such that your key attributes best meet the skills-set sought by your potential employer. Although job specs vary, management experience and team-work are always valued, so be sure to highlight how you have demonstrated these.

When applying for a PR position, you will also need to showcase any experience in communications – and writing in particular. Be sure to include any past internships or previous positions you’ve held. And keep it to one page, unless you are extremely experienced in your field or have held a number of relevant positions previous.

Be prepared

Once you’ve secured your interview, the next step is to prepare for it. Begin with reading relevant publications. PR Week and Marketing Week are excellent sources for those looking to break into marketing, advertising and PR. In addition, read the papers and magazines closest to the industry sector you are targeting. Some of the news sites we read daily are The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times and Bloomberg Businessweek. It is also critical to take time to conduct some research on the company to which you are applying.

Once all the written work and research has been completed, CVs sent and interviews secured, networking is the final task – specifically social networking. Similar to your CV, your social networking profiles will tell any potential employer a lot about you. It is therefore advisable to Google yourself, because your employer almost certainly will.

Also, don’t forget to check the privacy settings on your Facebook and Twitter pages to ensure that your information available for public consumption is just that! Lastly, keep your LinkedIn profile current. Employers scour LinkedIn for new hires and frequently advertise open positions on their company pages, as well as checking regularly on Twitter and Facebook for potential candidates.

Stay visible

'Stay visible' says Joe Richards

Finally, just as it’s important for brands to remain top-of-mind, it’s equally important for job seekers to remain visible to potential employers and those who might be able to help connect you with the right people: stay connected with former employers and lecturers while maintaining conversations with others who might be helpful.

The great news about learning to network properly and presenting yourself in the best way possible, both in person and on paper, is that it will set you up for success wherever you go.

You’ll be able to interact well with your coworkers, clients and business prospects and, if you change companies down the road, you’ll be ready to market yourself again.

Here at Aspectus, we are always looking for talented interns and professionals, so please don’t be shy and reach out to us at: internships@aspectuspr.com or info@aspectuspr.com

Adam Burns (right) with his Two Birds One Stone co-founders at Queen Square

A Leeds-based creative agency which was co-founded by a Leeds Metropolitan University student and two recent University of Leeds graduates has been given funding for office space by the Enterprise Office at Leeds Metropolitan University.

Two Birds One Stone combines the PR expertise of the Bell Pottinger Academy (the student arm of Bell Pottinger) and the design and marketing talent of Magpie Communications, who both have experience working with youth brands such as Oxford Stationery, Leeds Corn Exchange and a number of universities and colleges across the UK.

The young team, which recently announced its third client win in the shape of bagel and coffee chain Bagel Nash, will move in to the new home at the Leeds Met Enterprise Department on Queen Square this week.

Adam Burns, Co-founder of Two Birds One Stone, said: “It’s fantastic the university has recognised what we are trying to create.  Having an office on the university campus is hugely important to us; it gives us access to the insight of thousands of students and for the right brands that is very attractive.”

“As an employer of students and graduates I am well aware of how competitive it is in the job market, so we hope through Two Birds One Stone we can offer students paid opportunities whilst they study to develop skills, build a portfolio and make themselves more employable.”

Andrew Slade, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research and Enterprise at Leeds Met, said:

“Students are now being asked to pay considerably more for their education, so ventures like this go a long way to enhancing the student experience at Leeds Met and considerably increase the chances of employment after graduation.”

Shoppers were invited to send their requests to the Bagel Nash Twitter and Facebook pages for the gospel singers to serenade them as they took a break from the hustle and bustle on Briggate and other areas of the city centre.

The choir were joined by members of staff from Bagel Nash who were re-fuelling shoppers with fresh salmon and cream cheese or turkey, stuffing and cranberry bagels. The vocalists visited four of the five Bagel Nash outlets in Leeds city centre including The Light, The Train Station, The Victoria Quarter and Thornton’s Arcade.

In addition to performing ‘White Christmas’, the Bagel Nash Christmas choir entertained crowds of shoppers on Saturday and Sunday with songs including ‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’ and even pop classics like ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ by Steve Wonder and ‘Rolling in the Deep’ by Adele.

Sara Hildreth, retail operations director, said: “The Jukebox Choir proved to be a fantastic hit and really gave the Christmas shoppers in Leeds a weekend of fun! The public really got behind the event and we had hundreds of tweets and Facebook messages from people with their winter wishlist.”

Danielle McCarthy, a student from Leeds University, said: “I was doing my Christmas shopping with my boyfriend and he tweeted my favourite Christmas song, ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’, to the Bagel Nash page and to my surprise they sung it to us in The Light Shopping Centre. It was amazing! The Christmas bagel was the perfect complement too!”

Bagel Nash works with Two Birds One Stone, a youth marketing agency founded by two Leeds University graduates and a Leeds Metropolitan University undergraduate.

Yasmin (centre) and colleagues off to a Todd Lynn fashion show

With seven clients showing – Antonio Berardi, Aquascutum, Christopher Kane, House of Holland, Osman, Richard Nicoll and Todd Lynn – there was so much to be done that I had never expected.

Invitation request lists had to be analysed and reanalysed daily, addresses for invites had to be requested or found, then came the long task of handwriting each invitation for every show.

Particular looks from each designer’s SS12 collection often got requested by celebrities so we had to ensure that every item was in the showroom, regardless of whether it had only just been sent out to New York two days prior to the request.

The stress that came with the lead up to fashion week didn’t seem worth it, until we got to request shows to work at.

The popular choices for interns to choose seemed to be those that would be filled with celebrities to awe over, however that didn’t interest me.

I knew which shows I wanted to work, as I loved the collections of each designer, I was determined to make sure I was at each show. Antonio Berardi, Aquascutum, Richard Nicoll and Todd Lynn – my determination paid off.

It seemed only fair that I had more shows than other interns. I would do anything in order to make sure there were no slip ups, I turned up earlier than requested for every show, I upheld a professionalism that I had never cared to have before and even when I’d been helping backstage as soon as the first model hit the runway I had the same mind-blowing excitement for every show.

Fashion has always been an important aspect of my life. In choosing a university degree I always considered whether a particular course would prohibit me from finding a path in to the fashion industry.

Public relations seemed like a perfect career to be part of the industry without the stigma that working in fashion can often bring. And I was yet to reconsider my career options when I decided to take on a placement in one of the world’s leading fashion PR agencies.

I had stumbled across The Communications Store. I’d heard of other top agencies in London such as Relative MO and Karla Otto from reading fashion week articles in Elle and Vogue, but would always dismiss them as being unrealistic placement choices.

When I came across The Communications Store (TCS) all of those doubts were replaced with determination, I had never felt more passionate about a prospective job opportunity before – and although it was just for a work placement I knew that I would do anything to get it.

Foot in door

I initially emailed Natalia Cassel, a Group Account Director at TCS asking whether I could interview her for my portfolio. Once this was done I enquired about the possibility of doing a summer placement. I quickly worked out how busy the fashion industry was. After two months of emails between Natalia and HR it seemed my persistence had paid off and I was offered a four-month placement from early June until the end of September.

My first day was possibly one of the most exhausting of my life. I obviously arrived early so sat drinking coffee to calm my nerves before actually going in to the building. I hadn’t really thought about what to expect but was stunned to find that everyone was welcoming.

What I also hadn’t anticipated was the amount of work an intern was expected to do. Alongside eight other interns it was our job to do pretty much anything and everything that needed to be done.

The heart of the office is the showroom

A fashion PR agency is unlike a normal PR office environment in almost every way. The standard computers, desks and boardroom remains the same, but in fashion PR the heart of the office is the showroom and it was the interns’ role – under the guidance of the fashion merchandiser – to make sure it was spotless.

It took me only a week to realise that would never happen. It took me only a day to realise that no intern should ever start on a Monday with low work expectations.

A fashion intern’s main role at TCS was to book out send-outs or book in returns. Unlike conventional campaign and press release work, the majority of PR in fashion is sending out clothes for publication or press.

As TCS has such a high-profile client list, including Christopher Kane, Missoni, Nicholas Oakwell, Roland Mouret and Versace, it was imperative that the whereabouts of every item of clothing was known. Stock checks became a regular part of my summer; in fact my work placement began to become my life.

I had never been so passionate about working before. I became so involved with working at TCS that it seemed to be the only thing I did. I struggled to keep on top of the blog I had intended to be a diary for my placement, and the regular tweets I had initially hoped to do were unrealistic in such a busy environment.

Feels like full-time

What I had anticipated to be a regular work placement became what seemed to be a full-time job. Working 9-6 Monday to Friday meant that I was constantly tired, after the commute back home every evening all I wanted to do was sleep. I began to struggle to find any motivation to work and began to cherish my weekends up to Leeds or going back home to Essex.

After a week in Ibiza I knew I had to decide whether I wanted to continue my placement. It wasn’t until my first day back at TCS after my holiday that I realised how much I’d missed the office. It also seemed pointless to even consider leaving my placement early after the effort it had taken to get it. I’d forgotten before how much I loved the family environment, the spontaneous tea breaks – that I usually started – and the random errands I’d always offer to run. It took being away from that environment and actually having downtime to realise how much I loved working at TCS.

Put off fashion PR

I had so many different feelings about the PR industry and which field I hoped to go in to once I finished my degree. After the first couple of months of my placement I had assumed I’d been completely put off fashion PR and that the placement had shown me that I didn’t want to be part of the industry.

However, by the end of fashion week I had fallen completely back in love with fashion. I realised how privileged I was to have worked for such a fantastic company alongside amazing people. I’m still unsure whether fashion PR is definitely for me, but that’s the whole point of work placements, to gain an experience of what you might want to do with your life.  I now know that fashion PR is still very much an option.

Two Birds One Stone and Bagel Nash

Bagel Nash has appointed Two Birds One Stone, a Leeds-based creative agency, to handle the rebrand of its 11 outlets in Leeds, Huddersfield, Manchester and York.

The youth- focused agency has also been appointed to handle the company’s PR account ahead of its 25^th anniversary next year.

The appointment comes just months after the private equity-backed management buy-in by Andy Micklethwaite and Sara Hildreth. The new owners have plans to expand the chain of coffee and bagel bars in the North, North West and West Midlands.

Two Birds One Stone combines the PR expertise of the Bell Pottinger Academy, the youth department of Bell Pottinger, and the design and marketing talent of Magpie Comms, who both have experience working with brands such as Oxford Stationery, Leeds Corn Exchange and a number of universities and colleges across the UK.

Sara Hildreth, retail operations director at Bagel Nash, said:

“We are looking to breathe new life into the brand and to turn Bagel Nash into the number one retail bagel business in the UK. Two Birds One Stone offer bright ideas, lots of energy and experience in working with the youth market.”

Two Birds One Stone recently won funding from Leeds Metropolitan University and is now based in the Enterprise Department on the university campus. The core team of eight is made up of graduates and students who are managed by senior professionals from Bell Pottinger and Magpie.

Ged Savva, director at Magpie Comms and co-founder of Two Birds One Stone, said:

“Bagel Nash is a very strong brand in the north of England and we are delighted to have been appointed to handle the rebrand. With such ambitious expansion plans we hope our design concepts and PR strategy can ensure that Bagel Nash succeeds in its planned growth.”

Victoria Tomlinson: proud of her PRide award

Victoria Tomlinson, CEO of Northern Lights PR, was named Communicator of the Year at the annual regional PRide awards for Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Northern Lights consultant Helen Standing (last year’s regional Outstanding Young Communicator) has also been named in PR Week‘s 29 under 29 list of rising talent.

Communicator of the Year is awarded at the discretion of the judges to an outstanding communications and PR practitioner and has only been awarded twice in the last 10 years.  The consultancy, founded by Victoria Tomlinson 22 years ago, was also a finalist in the Best Use of Social Media category for its ‘no-nonsense’ e-book on social media for business.

Judges of the CIPR PRide Awards said that the special award reflected Victoria’s significant contribution to the PR and communications industry and wider business community. They singled out her pioneering paid internship scheme for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) graduates in the north, run in conjunction with the Taylor Bennett Foundation, and her ebook on social media for business.

Commenting on the award wins Victoria Tomlinson said:

“It is an honour to be recognised by our peers for the work we do on behalf of clients, for our innovation and for our contribution to the wider community. I am particularly pleased that Helen has gained national recognition for her creativity, PR skills and business focus, all of which is highly rated by our clients.”

The Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) campaign now has the support of 25 consultancies, including Burson-Marsteller, Edelman, Grayling, Porter Novelli and Red Consultancy. These firms are committed to paying interns at least the national minimum wage.

The CIPR Work Placement Charter, updated in 2010, is also clear in its guidance on unpaid internships:

“National Minimum Wage legislation requires employers to pay minimum wage or above for all work placements, unless they fall within the following exemptions:

• Students who are studying on higher education courses at UK universities or colleges if placed with an employer as part of their course. This exemption may be applied for a maximum period of one year.
• Students doing voluntary work for a registered charity and those doing work-shadowing.”

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has supported the campaign in a column in PR Week:

“The fact is, workplaces across Britain desperately need to be opened up, and PR is no exception. Too often it’s who you know – not what you know – that counts.”

Quirky

Pretty fridge

So in June last year I started work at a PR agency called PrettyGreen. Initially, what really struck me was the quirky nature of the office; they had a big Union Jack fridge, a great open plan layout and the meeting room was furnished with a ping-pong table! So I knew that I’d be in for a great year.

During my first three-weeks I shadowed the previous placement student: Coco. She took me through all the workings of the office and really helped me to hit the ground running. So three-weeks later, I was ready to go it alone.

Selling-in

A typical day for me involved a lot of ‘selling-in’. By this I mean contacting journalists and persuading them to write about our client and their campaign. So between the hours of 10 and 12 then 2 and 4 I would be on the phone, writing emails and chasing leads trying to confirm coverage for our clients.

To do this, you need to be thick-skinned. A lot of journalists will simply not be interested in what you have to say – some might never get back to you – but in the words of Don Lucchesi ‘it’s not personal, it’s only business.’ What makes it all worthwhile is when you see that article, video or picture and knowing you’re the man who facilitated its publishing. It’s seeing it come to fruition that’s what spurs you on.

In between selling-in, I would be organising coverage; that is scanning & screengrabbing, making presentations and filing in Excel. This may sound rather mundane, and at times it is, but these are documents that get sent to the client. It’s tangible proof of what the agency has been doing for them and ultimately why everyone gets paid, so you know it’s vital work. I’d also be attending brainstorms, which were great because you know that if you come up with that golden idea it may get used.

I was also lucky enough to work at some events including Cadbury Spots v Stripes ‘Big City Tours’. This involved getting people to register at the event so that they could take part in the games we had set up in the busy town centres. It was fantastic to travel up to cities like Glasgow and Leeds, not only get a feel how these things run, but also to bond with the team over evening meals, which were really good fun. As was looking after media personnel at Red Bull X-Fighters.

Busy, busy

Alex Judd

What I really loved about my placement was the buzz in the office. As campaigns gained momentum and the briefs came rolling in, the excitement became contagious. Across the year I was there the size of the agency nearly doubled and it was great to be a part of it.

The downside was just how busy it can be; we’d be working well over our set hours for long periods of time, but it’s just a test of how much you want it; and if working in the creative industries is really what you want, then you’ll ride through the hard times because you know that it’s worth it.

The two pieces of advice I would give to those of you looking to get into the business would be:

First, make your CV stand out. It’s perhaps a little clichéd but nevertheless true. Not only do you need to get as much experience as you can on your CV, you also need to jazz it up to show how enthusiastic you are about the job whilst expressing your personality.

Second, when you get into PR, know how to manage your time. You’ve got to find out how long a task will take and who it’s for so that you can plan your day effectively and utilise your time to the fullest.

Oh and don’t order a strawberry daiquiri in front of the head of marketing for Kraft UK, but that’s another story!

So after a year’s experience in the busy world of PR, would I want to get back into it? Absolutely and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Alex Judd is a final year PR student at Bournemouth University

This recognition has been awarded to Matthew McKenna and Sarah Townsend, two graduates from the  BA Hons PR degree at Bournemouth University, who founded their own PR Company McKenna Townsend PR in 2003. Since then McKenna Townsend PR has won a several gongs including PR Week’s One to Watch award in 2009 and a grand total of three Gold awards, including Outstanding PR Consultancy, at the 2009 CIPR Wessex Pride Awards, making McKenna Townsend PR deserving of their status as the leading PR consultancy in Dorset and Hampshire.

The award recognises McKenna and Townsend’s outstanding achievements and contribution to the public relations industry and the CIPR.

As co-MD McKenna spoke of his teams’ contribution to the title:

“Our team at McKenna Townsend PR work tirelessly to promote excellence and professionalism in the PR industry.  We continue to strive for higher standards in everything we do as PR professionals which leads to a better understanding of the positive impact PR can deliver for business, organisations and individuals.”

As CIPR Fellows McKenna and Townsend will lead by example. CIPR President and Fellow Paul Myrea said:

“Being named a Fellow of the CIPR is recognition of professionalism and experience. Most importantly, it is recognition from peers in the industry. I am delighted to welcome the new Fellows of the Chartered Institute and we look forward to harnessing their expertise to promote the industry and its practitioners.”

Two Birds One Stone founders Ged Savva, Becky Edlin and Adam Burns outside their new office in Leeds

Two Birds One Stone, which specialises in the youth market, is looking to recruit five students to work on a part-time basis in paid roles within the agency.

Two Birds One Stone, which was set-up by a current Leeds Metropolitan student and two recent University of Leeds graduates, has experience working with youth brands including Oxford Stationery, Leeds Corn Exchange and a number of universities and colleges across the UK.

Students are being invited to an initial interview process on Monday 17 October, at which they will have two minutes to impress the panel.

Successful candidates will be put into groups of five and given the live brief from King of Shaves. The five groups will pitch their campaign on Friday 28 October to a panel including Paul Adrian, Director of Sales & Marketing UK and EMEA at King of Shaves; Alex Epstein, star of The Apprentice 2011; and Nathan Lane, managing director of Bell Pottinger.

Paul Adrian said: “It’s fantastic to see young people being enterprising and we are looking forward to hearing the ideas the students have for our brand.”

Alex Epstein, star of the BBC Apprentice and former head of communications at Yorkshire-based Masternaut, said: “Unemployment amongst young people is a big problem in Britain, so initiatives like this can really help people develop skills and become more employable.

“Two Birds One Stone is a brilliant concept and I know the team are very keen to offer their peers opportunities, which is great. I am looking forward to sitting on the panel and listening to all the bright ideas.”

As well as staking a claim for a paid job the students will also gain experience in developing a campaign as a team and pitching to industry professionals.

Adam Burns, co-founder of Two Birds One Stone said: “We are looking for creative students who want to succeed in business. Our clients value the youth insight we bring, so having a young team of energetic and innovative students is vitally important.”

“It is a fantastic opportunity for students to gain experience and secure a job, at a time when finding employment is tough.

“Students will only have two minutes to sell themselves at the initial interview stage, so we are encouraging them to be creative and try to catch our eye before the day.”

Students who are interested in attending the initial interview stage should email hello@twobirdsonestone or tweet www.twitter.com/Leeds_TBOS

Or like the Facebook page and add your details to the wall www.facebook.com/TwoBirdsOneStoneLeeds

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Attending university during a tough recession, the savviest graduates are recognising the need to gain real-world experience while still studying, finding opportunities to build their portfolios.

One trend among ambitious students is participation in crowdsourcing programmes, allowing busy but tenacious Millennials a chance to contribute to companies looking to connect with the digital generation.

“When I realised that I might want to work in the public relations field, I joined Mindfire, a crowdsourcing community formed by a leading public relations firm, and as a result, I was recently hired by them for a paid summer fellowship,” says Lauren Campbell, a senior graduating from Yale University this May.

“In addition to working at a local New Haven integrated marketing agency while still a student, I found that contributing my creative ideas to challenges posted on Mindfire gave me a real taste of what a job in PR would entail, plus it gave me an edge in landing a position.”

Ketchum, the public relations firm where Campbell will join two other Mindfire community members who also landed summer jobs in the firm’s New York headquarters office, created its university-based online crowdsourcing platform last year as a new creativity engine for its clients.

Talent pipeline

“An unexpected dividend of our growing community is that it’s proving to be an incredible talent pipeline,” says Karen Strauss, partner and chief innovation officer at Ketchum and a co-developer of Mindfire. “We received nearly 700 applications for less than 10 summer fellowship spots, but the ongoing contributions by Lauren and two other students we hired, Alexandra Tomlinson of Cornell and Melanie Buford of the University of Missouri, provided our hiring committee with evidence of the way these applicants think creatively and work under tight deadlines. Students who have supplied us with a steady stream of original thinking really rise to the top of the applicant pool.”

Mindfire is an open innovation community for college graduate and undergraduate students with demonstrated creativity, communications and digital skills. More than 300 students from 22 leading universities are presented with real creative challenges facing Ketchum and its clients, which they can work on individually or collaboratively during breaks in their academic work.

In addition to getting experience to add to their CVs, students also receive career coaching, training and job alerts from Ketchum, along with prizes provided by the client that issued each challenge. Eager to give students practical work opportunities with large global corporations, professors from universities in North America, Europe and Asia help recruit creative students to join Mindfire in order to advance their knowledge outside the classroom and give them an edge in the marketplace.

How to get hired

Simeon Mellalieu, general manager of Ketchum Hong Kong, recently hired two Mindfire members as interns, and believes that the program helps the agency and, ultimately, its clients. “The open innovation community platform lets me spot individuality, creativity, enthusiasm and drive for a PR career in an instant without having to trawl through the dozens of homogenous résumés I receive each month for internships or full-time positions.”

More than 40 Ketchum clients have used Mindfire for creative inspiration, including Hertz, Wendy’s, Frito-Lay North America and others.

“Great ideas can come from anywhere, so Frito-Lay North America was delighted to tap into a crowdsourcing platform to gather inspiration from fresh-thinking minds,” says Aurora Gonzalez, senior director of public relations at Frito-Lay North America. “As someone who is often on the hunt for smart, innovative talent, Ketchum’s Mindfire is a compelling proving ground for ambitious students.”

Paula R. Rivera, manager of public affairs for the Hertz Corporation, says, “Hertz recognizes the value of tapping into a global community of creative thinkers and we have learned a great deal from Mindfire members.”

Mindfire is a free resource available to all Ketchum clients. Client challenges are confidential, and only registered members of the community can access the password-protected site. As an added incentive for participation, every idea posted on Mindfire results in an agency donation to Room to Read, Ketchum’s philanthropic partner, for the purchase of local-language books for needy children in the developing world.

The current alphabetical list of participating universities includes:

• The Media School, Bournemouth University (UK)
• Boulder Digital Works, University of Colorado at Boulder (USA)
• Boston University (USA)
• Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College (USA)
• The Chinese University of Hong Kong; College of Charleston (USA)
• Cornell University (USA)
• New York University (USA)
• DePaul University (USA)
• Georgetown University (USA)
• Leeds Metropolitan University (UK)
• Marquette University (USA)
• Mudra Institute of Communications (India)
• Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication (India)
• Syracuse University (USA)
• Tsinghua University (China)
• University of North Carolina – Charlotte (USA)
• University of Maryland – College Park (USA)
• University of Missouri School of Journalism (USA)
• University of Southern California (USA)
• Washington University, St. Louis (USA)
• Yale University (USA)

All of the final year BA (Hons) Public Relations students were provided with a PR brief by Grayling. The students formed their own virtual agencies and presented their ideas to a panel of lecturers. The top four groups were then called to pitch in front of public relations experts at the company’s offices in Roundhay, Leeds.

Giraffe PR: Lauren Sedgley, Naomi Farmer, Natalie Smith, Sarah Blackwell, Claire Thomas and Christine Quigley with Grayling's Justin McKeown (centre)

Giraffe PR were announced as this year’s winners following a pitch in front of Grayling’s Justin McKeown and Vicky Murphy (themselves both PR graduates from the same university).

Final year student Sarah Blackwell commented on her team’s win:

“We are all absolutely thrilled – it’s been a great achievement for us all and a real team effort. This competition has provided us with the skills and confidence necessary to tackle any future pitches. Working with such an esteemed agency and on an exciting brief has also been a fantastic opportunity.”

Grayling’s divisional director, Justin McKeown, a Leeds Met graduate, acted as a mentor throughout the pitch process offering support and advice. Justin said:

“Year-on-year we see fresh and innovative ideas from the Leeds Metropolitan’s PR degree students. The course combines theory and practice, which gives its graduates a great understanding of the profession. The PR industry needs more qualified practitioners who can survive in a commercial environment, and this competition helps prepare the students for the workplace in some important ways.

“This year, the gap between first and second place was mightily close, and we congratulate the thoroughly-deserving winners. As these talented students are soon to be graduates,  I hope this experience will help launch they careers.”

Leeds Met Course Leader and Senior Lecturer, Lucy Laville added:

“Links with professionals is a core feature of our PR courses at Leeds Met. Grayling has supported the BA PR since its inception 20 years ago with a range of initiatives including the competitive pitch, guest lectures and placements for which we’re very grateful. With 20 years of alumni now working in the PR profession our links with employers have gone from strength to strength and our graduate employability remains exceptionally strong even in today’s economic climate.”

Applicants will need to submit a written proposal by 6 June. A shortlist of up to 10 will be put through their paces in a day-long selection process at the Mischief office in London. Creativity, passion and media knowledge will be tested in a series of interviews, presentations and written tests. A ‘speed date’ with Mischief’s Creative Directors will also feature in the day.

Mischief Managing Director, Mitchell Kaye said:

“We are very lucky to have a bright, talented and creative team of people at Mischief. The Mischief Grad Scheme has been responsible for recruiting 20 per cent of our team – so we know there is a huge amount of talent out there and we’re looking forward to bringing it into the agency.”

CIPR CEO Jane Wilson added:
“Our partnership with Mischief offers an exciting opportunity for a new graduate to step onto the PR career ladder. It is one of several initiatives feeding into the CIPR’s Year of the Student and Teacher campaign during 2011-2012, which aims to boost the prospects of students, graduates and PR professionals in the early stages of their career.”

For details on how to apply, visit the CIPR website.

Jeannyfar: running late with cupcakes

8:00 am: Damn it! I didn’t hear my alarm ringing – or did he switch it off again? No time to think. Quick shower, no make-up and an apple on the  way out.

8:15am: Dilemma! I don‘t know what to wear! Lucky we don‘t have a formal dress code like at Emma’s office, but my favourite blouse is in the laundry and I have already worn that skirt twice in a row. Ok, ok the white dress and black over-knee boots it is.

8:36am: ARRGH! Missed my train. Hate taking the bus.

8:42am: Tweeting how stupid Birmingham buses are and blessing our flexitime office hours. Lucky me.

8:59am: Rushing to the office and trying not to sweat to much. Told Ceri (Managing Director) I‘ll be in from 9am today – bloody alarm. I‘ll stop and get some cupcakes for everyone. Who will then notice my late arrival. Smart me.

09:11am: Ceri has been here since 8am. Feeling guilty. I need a cupcake and tea. Getting tea – does anyone else want?

9:30am: Catching up with everyone. Tweeting from my intern Twitter that I‘m at work and bribing everyone with sweet handmade cupcakes. Fly over my emails, grab a croissant from our free breakfast buffet and get ready to go down to the “Zen Den“ for our morning team briefing.

9:45am: Ceri will be meeting three new potential clients today. One of them does not want social media coverage. Odd. Wow she has amazing tights on. Smexy! That’s smart and sexy. I‘ll start with my diet today. I am serious this time. Phil is so cute.

10:18am: Brief catch up with Ceri. She likes the press release I showed her yesterday. Her edited version is so much better. I feel stupid. Why am I not that good? Barns (CEO and Owner) is coming in from Dubai today. She wants to show him my work before sending it out. Nervous.

10:59am: I love being the only intern. Get all the credits for good work. Re-doing the PR schedule according to new PR release dates. Tori from Sales is giving me amazing ideas for my birthday party next week. I want to pitch her some of my PR ideas before going to Ceri.

11:18am: Just had a massive Google session. I had to put together the business and local journalist list for Brainy Marketing release. Ceri is on the phone all morning. Will just email her my findings.

12 noon: Why is Josie not on MSN? Maybe she is in a meeting. Hope she did not forget our lunch date. I‘ll pop down to her desk and see where she is. I have to tell her about last night. Kinky.

12:22pm: Email back from Ceri telling me to write a draft press release to promote our client’s charity climb and fundraising event. I don‘t know what to write. New clients. Huge project. I can‘t do it. Ok – I‘ll just try my best.

01:14pm: Waiting in ground floor launch to grab lunch with Josie. 30mins break are never enough. Damn it, I forgot to tweet.

Brainy Marketing in action

01:47pm: Receiving reminder email on office night out today. How could I forget? It’s every two months. Tonight it’s going to be Mexican. I love free food. Makes a little up for the unpaid internship.  A little.

2:34pm: Still collating details of local radio, print media and TV to promote other events planed. Barns is back. I can see Ceri in his office. She wants me to start blogging for the company.

4:19pm: Oli comes down to show me Basecamp (online project management software). I like how Ceri involves me in all projects. Taking journalist inquires on the phone was rough earlier. They are mean.

5:10pm: Everyone in the foyer excited about mexican night. Glad I chose this dress and wasn‘t dressed too casual.

6:03pm: No! Last one to arrive at the restaurant. Just could not find it. Blushing.

Jeannyfar's placement is with Brainy Marketing

6:20pm: So much food. My eyes are glowing. Asking Tori if it is really all for free. I am so broke. Barns thanking everyone for their hard work. He looks nothing like a Ferrari driver.

8:17pm: Everyone heading to ‘All Bar One‘ for drinks. Some suggest going to this new club.

9:57pm: Running to catch my train. Want to be at my desk before Ceri tomorrow.

What a lucky PR girl I am.

Fashion gets headlines

One of the most celebrated figures in fashion, Coco Chanel, was named as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20^th Century. Responsible for the fashion staple, the little black dress, Coco Chanel is still the talk of the town and idolised thirty years after her death.

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

It’s hard to argue with that, even if you don’t consciously follow the fashion trends, you’ll be aware of the issues surrounding size zero and no doubt, blame the health of young women aspiring to it, on the fashion industry and their models. Everyone has an opinion on it. People are even cashing in on it.

Take Kenneth Tong as an example, the ex Big Brother contestant who developed a pro-anorexia campaign on Twitter. Whether or not you choose to believe his reasons for endorsing such an issue – it’s still an issue. It caused a stir provoking reactions from superstars like Rihanna: “Girls are dying all over the world because of ignorant individuals like this.”

So how does PR work in the industry today?

Fashion PR is notoriously one of the most competitive sectors of PR. The lifestyle the essence of public relations that people strive for: parties, celebrities, alcohol, freebies, sample sales and the use of Red Pages (the celebrity database).

Is that strictly the case?

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A FASHION INTERN

So what can you expect in the average day of a fashion PR?

• Starting the day at around 9 the first port of call is to check and respond to any messages.
• You then trawl through all the daily newspapers, the weekend newspapers and magazines for the current trends and any coverage etc. All coverage needs to be filed in press portfolios.
• Meetings run throughout the day, for which the press portfolios need to be up-to-date and refreshments need to be ready and waiting.
• Samples are in and out of the office all day and need chasing up for return from magazines.
• Releases need to be pitched to journalists, sent out and chased up on.
• And if you have enough hours left in the day, the showroom has to be kept up to date at all times with the latest magazines, trends and samples from clients.
• All with the aim to leaving the office at around 6pm and fitting in an hour for lunch somewhere along the line.

Still interested?

GETTING INTO FASHION PR

So how can you make yourself the one the top fashion PR agencies and organisations want to hire? Experience.

Hannah Dick from Push PR, London explains that: “the most important thing you can do for your career is work experience. We look for people with at least one year of experience before hiring them. A lot of interns get offered a permanent job, so it’s definitely worth making that extra effort.”

There’s been a lot of negativity recently around unpaid work experience so how should you act? As much as you’re there for your CV and to learn the trade, you’re there to make their lives easier. Don’t ever lose sight of that.

Many agencies aren’t in the position to offer wages at the moment, but will offer to pay travel and lunch expenses.

TOP TIPS

• Prepare for the best and worst in people. You’re entering PR and fashion combined, you won’t get along with everyone. Don’t let it put you off.
• Quite simply, be polite! Your telephone manner could strongly influence whether they wish to interview you or not. Speaking rudely could get your email deleted – even with the best CV in the world.
• When completing your work experience, there’s always more work to be done. Don’t assume when you’ve finished that particular task that your time is your own, ask for MORE to do.
• Don’t take everything as the be all and end all; the fashion industry is about people wanting to LOOK nice.
• Use social media. Social media is becoming an everyday part of campaigns, if you can’t use it to represent yourself, how do you expect to use it to represent a brand? This doesn’t just include Facebook – use Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs etc.
• Enjoy the experiences given to you.

There are two types of client in the fashion industry, the clients that appeal to niche markets and are almost unheard of in the high street. When working with clients like these, you need to gain as much coverage as possible to increase awareness, association with the brand and generally boost sales. The other type of client is already established and more often wants coverage as a luxury and part of a portfolio than a necessity.

“When you think of the blur of all the brands that are out there, the ones you believe in and the ones you remember, like Chanel and Armani, are the ones that stand for something. Fashion is about establishing an image that consumers can adapt to their own individuality. And it’s an image that can change, that can evolve. It doesn’t reinvent itself every two years.” Ralph Lauren

With either type of client, the goal is simple: Your brand needs to be the one people think of in that sector.

PushPR are currently recruiting interns, if you’re interested please email Hannah: Hannah@pushpr.co.uk

Digital PR firm 33 Digital is looking for new talent to join the team as programme executive.

33 Digital is an international public relations agency specialising in all things digital, so if you have an appetite for all things social on the web, this one may be for you.

The position requires experience in both social media and PR; candidates may already have experience at account executive level, but what they are looking for most is an expertise in social media and creative ideas on how this media can be used for ground-breaking PR campaigns.

See the 33 Digital ‘Join us‘ page for more information on the vacancy.

Disclosure: PR and social media section editor, David Clare, works for 33 Digital.

‘Command PR’ is run by Jonathan Cheban and his right-hand man, Simon Huck. The pair have already been dubbed ‘public relations gurus’ in the American media.

The show follows the ‘Spin Crowd’ as they attend star-studded events, manage press for celebrity clients and create celebrity branding, as well as all the office antics.

The show’s executive producer is none other than LA socialite Kim Kardashian. If you haven’t heard of Kim, she is famous for her own E! Reality series, her modelling and her ‘sex tape’.

Jonathan Cheban claims to be trying to show the best parts of the PR business; the exciting, glamorous side of PR:

“We’re out there working it. We go to the Hamptons, we’re in Miami, we’re on planes and yachts, and the girls always look gorgeous and fashionable.”

The Spin Crowd series kicked-off with a half-hour special entitled SPINdustry, followed by the first episode. I watched in disbelief as Cheban pushed one of the office girls to have her lips ‘done’, as he thought they were too thin. He then went on to thoroughly embarrass the poor girl by getting all the others in the office to stand up and show her how she should be dressed.

To sum up: Cheban is tactless and image driven. Huck is more lovable, extremely camp and has worked his way up from an apprenticeship. The ‘girls’, ie the rest of the staff are all tiny waist-ed, fashion loving beauties.

It’s all so cliché that it’s funny. Or is it? As a PR student I’m hoping that this is not the real PR. I’m hoping it’s not based on the body proportions’ of the practitioner, but on the quality of the work they produce.

The programme may be creating great PR for ‘Command PR’ and boosting more people’s awareness of PR, but is the show just giving the rest of us ‘non-celebrity’ PR practitioners a worse reputation? It is bad enough that a business all about reputation management and communication has a terrible name with the general public, with many thinking of evil twisting spin-doctors, rather than the vital communicators and crisis managers we can be.

It is not my intent to stop readers from watching the programme – it is very entertaining. I am worried about those watching the programme who will now believe that this is all public relations is about.

I sincerely hope that the programme does not inspire students to study PR with the Spin Crowd as their only image of what it is to be a PR practitioner.

Education was a monumental mountain to climb and you arrived! You graduated (finally); wore the gown; got the picture; the certificate and the fab job.

Congrats! So what now?

Actually, now the hard part begins. There’s no longer a syllabus to guide you or a fixed checklist of assignments to get through – there is a constant stream of new and un-encountered challenges and you’re being paid to get it all done to a high standard.

You are no longer the sole beneficiary of your efforts. Now, if you don’t finish your work at the end of the day, your team, your boss and your client all suffer as a result.

It’s a sad misconception of many a student that your degree will be the winning ticket to a successful career and a shed-load of cash. No: unfortunately, you’ll soon realise it’s just the ticket that gets you in the door. So wise up now and the realisation won’t hit so hard!

2. It’s ok to make mistakes

Whilst I’ve always thought of this as a cardinal sin, I’ve learnt that everyone expects you, as a junior member of the team, to mess up sometimes. They won’t look down on you, or shout at you – trust me!

The key here is to acknowledge your error, work with the rest of the team to rectify it and make sure you learn from it. We’re all learning all the time, no matter how junior or senior the role – and if you get to a place where you have nothing left to learn, it’s probably time to move on!

3. The best of times is the worst of times

Whilst it doesn’t feel like it, your toughest work days represent the most valuable opportunities. Times of crisis are when you’ll not only learn the most, but you’ll find yourself bonding with your team and be in a great position to show what you’re really made of.

I really believe that there’s no better time to see what someone is really like than when they’re having a bad day. It’s easy to be a nice, polite and calm colleague when work is going well – but don’t let it slip when it’s not, as your colleagues will remember it!

So don’t be disheartened if you are working on a challenging project or with an unsupportive team – instead, use this as an opportunity to pick up the slack, work harder and achieve more.

In my opinion, the most valuable team members are those you know you can count on when it all falls apart.

4. Your personality is a valuable commodity

You are made up of a catalogue of unique experiences and opinions – so use this to your advantage. Express your opinion, as it’s always valuable to consider different perspectives and you’ll find that your colleagues will respect you more for sharing yours.

If you’re in the right organisation, all your colleagues will also want to know who you are, so let your individuality shine. People respond best to those that interact on a human level with them, rather than a corporate level.

So start making friends and influencing people!

5. Keep ahead of the game

One of the most helpful things you can do when working in a team is to keep everyone up to date on your progress. This not only raises your profile, demonstrating how much work you’re getting through, but it actually makes everyone else’s lives easier because they don’t have to remember to keep checking on you.

As a junior member of the team, your managers will need to support and oversee you but they don’t always have time. Help them out by ensuring you’re one step ahead and they don’t even need to ask you. However, remember to use your good sense with this and don’t abuse it. There’s a fine line between keeping a team well-informed and raising your profile; and bashing your colleagues over the head with how good you think you are!

6. Tea can make it all better

Be a helpful person by noticing when other colleagues are drowning. It happens to the best of us but it takes a switched-on person to notice and act.

Your colleagues will value you eternally if you offer to help them out during a difficult afternoon. This can be as simple as offering to divert their calls while they get their work done, or just bringing them a cup of tea.

They will remember it and it will pay dividends in your favour.

7. Monica is, in fact, the best Friend of all

Katy Jameson (centre), and friends

Ever played the ‘who’s-your-favourite’ game with the characters from Friends?

A popular choice is Joey or Phoebe. But in fact, you’ll soon learn Monica is the fairest of them all when you get to work.

Monica is the queen of organisation – loving her files, folders, lists and notepads. Laugh though you may, it’s the smartest thing you can do at the office.

Get yourself as hyper-organised as you can bear; keep records of your activities; log the time you spend on projects; take messages and remember to pass them on and keep an up-to-date to-do list.

It’s not geeky. It’s cool. And you know it.

8. Keep a Happy Folder!

You will find, as talented and tenacious individuals, you will begin to build up a number of delightful emails that sing your praises and thank you for a job well done.

My advice is to keep these emails and sling them into a folder in your inbox.

You can then refer to your Happy Folder if you’re having a bad day, to cheer yourself up and remind yourself that you do get it right most of the time!

But furthermore, you will have a stack of emails that record your progress and successes throughout your time at the company, which could prove a handy tool in negotiating a promotion or bonus, should the opportunity arise to prove your worth.

You never know, especially given the recession, so it’s always good to have.

9. Get yourself a mentor

Whilst you will have a line manager, consider asking another trusted colleague to become your mentor too. They don’t even have to be part of your organisation, although sometimes this can help.

You can use them to sense-check ideas, talk through your concerns or challenges, and share your successes and frustrations with them. You’ll find it really beneficial to be able to talk about it all to an understanding individual and because they are a mentor rather than a manager, it won’t go any further.

10. Share and share alike

Just as I have here, remember to share your pearls of wisdom with others as you acquire them. It’s good to share and can really benefit others… So get sharing with colleagues, friends and students as you never know what they may share in return.

Alzheimer’s Society
Epilepsy Action
Meningitis Trust

Following the launch of ‘Pitching for Partnership’ in August this year, ten UK-based charities were shortlisted for the opportunity to make a short presentation to a judging panel made up of experts in the communications, healthcare and charity sectors, at Just:: Health PR’s offices on 11th November 2010.

Judge and ex-Sun Health Editor, Jacqui Thornton, said:

“The standard of the finalists’ entries was extremely high with each project addressing a real need, making it a very difficult decision. The chosen winners demonstrated well thought-out communications strategies and exciting tactical ideas, presenting clear and exciting opportunities for collaboration with Just:: Health PR.”

A Just:: Cause – Pitching for Partnership, is a pro-bono initiative designed and run by Just:: Health PR. UK-based charities were offered the chance to apply for grants of communications resource, delivered as hours of time from the Just:: team and equivalent in total to £150,000 worth of fees.

For more information please contact: ajustcause@justhealthpr.com or visit the website: www.ajustcause.co.uk

Seal winners Louise Evans, Lucy Kemp, Nigel Pipkin and Gemma Boland with CIPR Midlands chair Cara Hastings

Seal fought off stiff competition from five other entrants in the Best Campaign under 10K category to win gold for their work with Michelin, re-launching the classic series of children’s books, I-spy.

Seal dominated the Best Event category this year, picking up gold and silver in the Best Event category for the opening of Walsall Manor Hospital and Walsall College’s Urban Festival respectively.

Ending the night on a high, Seal’s most recent addition to the PR team, graduate Sarah Stevenson, was awarded Student of the Year at the event

Seal’s Managing Director, Nigel Pipkin said: “Wow! To win every award we entered really reflects the outstanding quality of work from our fantastic team here at Seal.  There were some brilliant Midlands entries this year which makes winning all the more exciting.

“In these recessionary times, it was especially good to win gold for our Michelin campaign, demonstrating we are top of the tree for offering value for money without compromising results.”